Nicole Kidman Reveals Truth About Her Relationship With Keith Urban

By JJ Foster, Aug 1, 2017

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The Defining Moment

One fateful evening in 2005, Urban’s life would change forever. He bumped into the stunning Kidman at a G’day LA event. The conversation between the two stars was electric, and the pair instantly struck a bond. But Urban was trying to play it cool and chose not to get too close to Kidman so soon. And in 2013, the actress told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview that it took Urban four whole months to ask her out.

Loved By Many

During the early stages of her career, Kidman had flings with Australian stars such as Marcus Graham and Tom Burlinson. Then, when she moved onto bigger projects in Hollywood, she dated a variety of high profile stars. These included The Pianist actor Adrien Brody, who she was reportedly only briefly involved with. Also, after working on Cold Mountain with Jude Law, the pair were rumored to have had a relationship on set. Another brief romance happened between Kidman and rock star Lenny Kravitz.

Things Got Messy

It did not take long at all before Kidman’s ever growing number of fans were discussing her personal life. Just a year after Dead Calm, the Aussie began working on the 1990 drama, Days Of Thunder. Fortunately for Kidman, the studio paired her up alongside the legendary Tom Cruise. It was true love at first sight and very soon after production, the two got married. Kidman and Cruise were the talk of the town, for ten years, at least…

A Match Made In Hollywood

It seemed like the perfect match. Of all days, Kidman and Cruise had tied the knot on Christmas Eve. It could not be more romantic. The couple seemed to be invincible for a while and even adopted two children together – Isabella Jane and Connor Anthony. But ultimately, their relationship wasn’t meant to stand the test of time, and the couple broke up in 2001. Cruise swiftly filed for divorce and claimed that they parted due to irreconcilable differences.

Unbreakable Bond

However, it was more complicated than that. Despite separating, Cruise has always considered Kidman to be a massive part of his life, and this was true vice versa. “He was huge; still is,” Kidman said regarding Cruise’s role in her life. “To me, he was just Tom, but to everybody else, he is huge. But he was lovely to me. And I loved him. I still love him.” It seems that even when separated, certain bonds can not be broken.

Award Winning Performances

A separation as high profile as the one between Cruise and Kidman could have crushed their careers. But on the contrary, both stars only got bigger and bigger as their career’s progressed. The years following her break up would bring her considerable success. Kidman won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in 2003’s The Hours. Other notable performances came in movies like thrillers, such as The Others, Dogville and the national historical epic, Australia.

Kidman’s Fortunes

Kidman wasn’t only critically successful, she has also received considerable commercial success in her thirty-plus year career. In 2006, Forbes magazine ranked Kidman the number four in the list of highest paid actors/actresses. As of 2016, her movies have grossed more than $3.7 billion, and 17 of her flicks have made over $100 million. Shortly after her Forbes ranking in 2006, she announced to the world that she had recently got engaged to the new love of her life. It was none other than Keith Urban.

Keith Urban

Like Kidman, Keith Urban is a native of the Australasian continent. Born in Whangarei, New Zealand, Urban made his first splash in stardom after winning the prestigious talent show, Star Maker in 1990. This paved the way for a lucrative contract with EMI and before he knew it, Urban was writing and recording his own country music. During the early stages of his career, Urban had a number of hits under his belt, before getting a huge break and got the chance to move to Nashville.

Humble Beginnings

Things didn’t run so smoothly during Urban’s early years in the United States. The country singer had stepped into an arena where there was already a huge array of talented country and folk artists. And Urban was at a disadvantage as he was a foreigner. American fans wanted American singers. Urban struggled to sell tickets to his concerts and record sales were modest. A battle with drink and substances in the early 90s also didn’t help his cause.

Rollercoaster Ride

However, Keith Urban’s fortunes were about to turn for the better. In 1999, the country singer released the first album he had completely produced in the US. The self-titled American debut hit record highs commercially. But Urban’s struggles with substance abuse continued to haunt him. “The whole back-end of the nineties were just awful,” he said in an interview. “I’d go to sleep, wake up a couple of hours later, go at it again, drinking to take the edge off.”

All The Lonely People

When it comes to the lifestyle of a celebrity, it seems like a conveyor belt of opportunities to socialize with the richest and most beautiful people in the world. No one would expect it to be an environment where one could ever get lonely. But this certainly applied to both Kidman and Urban. All the parties and shows couldn’t take away the sense of pain and loneliness that both stars experience in the years building up to their encounter.

Right Place At The Right Time

Kidman admitted that their shared sense of loneliness was the reason that the couple struck a bond so quickly. “I think we were two lonely people,” she said. “I would probably say that two very lonely people managed to meet at a time when they could open themselves to each other. We were a mixture of frightened and brave.” Urban agreed with Kidman’s rationale, saying,”we [definitely] both met each other exactly at the right time.”

The Odd Couple

It seems like Urban played his cards right and his patience paid off. Without hesitation, Kidman said yes when the country singer asked her out. It wasn’t long before the couple started to appear on numerous magazine covers. It was unexpected, but it worked. And after a short space of time, after just one year of dating, Urban knew that Kidman was one. In 2006, he asked Kidman for her hand in marriage. But was it “Yes” or “No”?

The Answer Was…

YES! Kidman gave Urban a resounding “Yes.” He was absolutely ecstatic and couldn’t believe that he was now engaged to one of if not the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood. And they didn’t spend long as far as wedding planning was concerned. A month later, the couple tied the knot in Sydney. Some of Australia’s finest stars were in attendance, including Hugh Jackman and Naomi Watts. It was a truly perfect ceremony. But was it too good to be true?

Something Was Off

The monumental wedding only covered up the cracks that started to show, as soon as they both said: “I do.” Urban’s turbulent past seemed to catch up with him and instantly had an impact on the couple’s marriage. During the wedding party, Kidman noticed that her new husband was showing signs of erratic behavior. But what could have been the cause of this? Was it just because of the magnitude of the day? Or was it something much darker?

The Sad Truth

Kidman was aware that Urban had a checkered past before meeting her. But she was under the impression that he had moved on since those dark times. The truth became clear to Kidman: her husband Keith was still using. From day one, the signs were there and within four months of their marriage, Kidman organized an intervention for Urban. At this point, he realized that things had gone too far and that he needed to do something about it.

Time To Take Action

Urban knew that things needed to change if he wanted to hang on to Kidman. He had already undergone rehab twice in his life but to no avail. But was this going to be third time lucky? Urban needed it to be. It was time to make some serious changes and in 2006, he checked into the Betty Ford Center. This time, things were different, and after three months of serious rehab, Urban had made considerable strides and came out the other side a renewed person.

Nic’s Support

Maybe Urban’s successful rehab was partly due to having someone special there by his side, every step of the way. Kidman played this role majestically and Urban believes that the test only strengthened the couple’s resolve. “There were times early on when I wished I would have been sober and in recovery and everything when I met Nic,” he said. “But the other way to look at it…is that we’ve been able to build our relationship with that.”

Pain Runs Deep

Urban knows how hard his struggles with addiction and rehab must have been for his wife. And Kidman made it clear just how traumatic the entire process was for both of them. She said that “it was painful, deeply painful. We were in a very, very, very bad, painful place.” But she was glad that they “managed to step through it, and I hope that gives some people some hope who may be in the same place.”

Growing Love

Kidman has said in the past that despite the instant connection that she struck with Urban when they met all those years ago, she feels like they only truly got to know each other after getting married. “We didn’t really know each other – we got to know each other during our marriage.” The priority of her marriage with Urban was to have a partner and have kids. But as the years have gone on, the relationship has become so much more.

A New Chapter

Now that Urban finally overcame his demons, the couple were now able to move on and live a much simpler life together. They built a home together and two years after Urban made a full recovery, they started a family together. In 2008, Kidman happily announced that she was pregnant and had her first child with Urban, a daughter by the name of Sunday Rose. Shortly after, the couple welcomed a second daughter, Faith Margaret, into the world.

Blast From The Past

As if Keith’s personal demons were not enough to shake the grounds beneath their feet, Urban’s blast from the past was fast approaching their way. In an interview with StarMagazine, Keith’s ex-girlfriend and Australian entertainer Angie Maquis claimed that his Nicole’s “controlling” team banned her from discussing her previous relationship with Keith. She said, “I have said a few things about Keith in the past, and he got a bit funny with me… I think it’s Nicole’s publicity who are controlling that.”

Notorious For Her Actions

Angie dated the country singer for two years and even attended the couple’s wedding in 2006 before the friendship went sour. Ever since her claims hit the fan, Keith’s former lover seemed to enjoy her newly gained spotlight, especially since she expressed her thoughts regarding writing a book on the matter. But recently, Angie spoke up and announced the opposite is true – in fact, if anything, she regrets having anything to do with the singer, saying: “‘I seem to have gained notoriety because of it.”

Issues Of Insecurity

Being the talented musician he is, Keith finds it easier to write about things he experiences. When asked about the inspiration behind his hit song The Fighter, he replied: “I had such a learning curve in our marriage! When she’d get scared, I’d think she was angry; then I’d get defensive, go tearing out the driveway at 90 miles an hour… What she needs, and it’s in the song, is for me to stay, to be close, to hear her.”

Home Is Where The Heart Is

In addition to the external actress playing a role in rocking the boat that is their relationship, Keith and Nicole have also argued about one of the most crucial matters imaginable – in which country they should live. A source revealed that “Nicole wants to move back to Australia so they can raise their children among family, but Keith is opposed to leaving Nashville because his career is there. They’ve been having this argument for almost two years now. It’s taking a toll on the relationship.”

Decisions, Decisions

Since Nicole is an actress, her career does not require her to live in America. If she stars in a movie in the U.S., all she has to do is hop on a plane toward whatever destination she is meant to film. On the other hand, Keith performs at casinos and state fairs as well as award shows – this means that in order to make sure he stays relevant in the music industry, he must stay relatively close. However, they are not the only two pawns in this game.

First Things First

As it turns, out, Nicole’s motherly instincts are pulling her toward living in Australia since she has fond memories of being brought up there and she wants their children to experience the same upbringing. The duo’s top priority was and always will be their daughters – Sunday, 8, and Faith, 6 – but Keith moved to Nashville for a reason. “Nicole likes the laid-back lifestyle there,” said another insider at one point. “[She] wants her kids to have the same kind of upbringing she did.”

Tough To Be Around

Kidman may seem like every man’s deepest desire, but she herself revealed being married to her far from being all fun and games. Apparently, some things can drive the belle of the ball utterly mad: “When people say they will do something and they don’t – and I know it’s terribly demanding, but – I don’t like it when my husband doesn’t answer his phone,” Nicole told W Magazine. “I have to keep calling and calling, and I get anxious. Does that make me high-maintenance?”

Leading Separate Lives

Nicole and Keith might both count as A-list celebrities, but they come from very different backgrounds and work in vastly diverse industries. They say “distance makes the heart grow fonder,” but what if the exact opposite occurs? Earlier this month the sweetheart couple were said to be struggling to make time for each other, creating a somewhat long-distance relationship. In fact, the two have sort of been leading separate lives, a notion that made headlines after one particular incident on Nicole’s behalf.

Rumors Of Infidelity

Recently, photos of Nicole Kidman’s friendly nature were published and raised serious eyebrows. The movie star is known to have an exceptionally favorable character which could explain why she was spotted embracing her friend, director Garth Davis, while they were both in Sydney for the premiere for Top Of The Lake. The two were said to be more than platonic: “When Nicole and Garth said hello and goodbye, they shared a very lingering embrace.” As for Keith’s whereabouts – apparently, he was not even in the country.

Trust Is Everything

Keith was away on tour, and a close friend of his revealed that while the talented singer is usually very understanding and open minded, he will be “furious” once he will see the photos – even though he “knows there’s nothing going on between them.” However, this couple is no stranger to these types of stories and alleged rumors of affairs. Working in Hollywood, this is just another part of a greater package deal walking hand in hand with fame.

Priceless Present

Although born to Australian parents, Nicole’s place of birth was Honolulu. She lived in the capital of Hawaii until she was 4 years-old due to her father’s academic career as a Ph.D. at a local university. Her father, Anthony, passed away in 2014, and ever since then Kidman has had a hard time bouncing back, says a close friend. That is why Keith decided to surprise his wife with an incredible present she never saw coming – he bought her her childhood home.

Less Than Thrifty Fifty

Keith and Nicole already have a multi-million dollar property, but some things cannot be labeled by a price tag. The real estate office that aided Urban with the purchase claimed Keith “made the current owners an offer they couldn’t refuse, laying down millions for the beachside property.” Additionally, they declared that “when Nicole thinks of Hawaii she thinks of her dad,” making this gift all the more priceless. Needless to say, this costly acquisition came at the perfect timing – just months short of Nicole’s milestone 50th birthday.

How Are Things Now?

After a difficult start to their relationship, Kidman and Urban have overcome many obstacles to build a happy life together. They have been happily married now for over a decade and unlike many Hollywood couples, have stood the test of time. But even still, the couple have challenges in their lives. Between Kidman’s continuous acting career and Urban’s continuous touring schedules, the couple a lot of time away from one another. So what is their secret? How do they still make it work?

What Is Their Secret?

For many couples, therapy or counseling is what does the trick when maintaining a healthy marriage. But Kidman and Urban do things a little differently in their household. And it was only recently when Kidman revealed her big secret as to what has kept her and Urban together. In an interview with InStyle, the actress claimed that the couple obeys a particular rule when either partner leaves home. But what on earth could this stipulation be exactly?

One Condition

In InStyle‘s July 2017 edition, Kidman revealed that the couple only have one form of communication when they are apart – they only speak on the phone. Letters? Forget it. E-Mail? No Chance. Facebook? Out of the question. Kidman and Urban only talk over the phone if they are not together. “Keith and I don’t ever text,” she said in her interview. “We call. That’s just what we’ve always done. We’re old school.” Sometimes, the beauty is in the simplicity. However…

Exceptions To The Rule

The couple have been known to bend their rules every once in a while. Only once or twice in their marriage has Kidman sent a text to her husband. So Kidman isn’t as “old school” as we originally thought. Also, since the discovering the popular app, the couple have used FaceTime frequently and believe it is just as good as a typical phone call. Kidman has even made impromptu cameos at some of her husband’s concerts. Urban has surprised his fans by showing Kidman on the app.

One Step Further

To take liberties even further, the couple have admitted to sending some cheeky texts to each other. Like many happy couples, Kidman and Urban have been known to get creative with their words and capture each other’s imagination while away from one another. The confirmation came in 2013 when Urban had an interview with Ellen DeGeneres. He confessed to sending “those kind of texts” to Kidman. “I’m a little red now,” he said. So you should be Keith. So you should.

A Normal Couple

When all’s said and done, Kidman isn’t on set and Urban isn’t on the road touring, the couple just like to live a normal life with their two girls. “On weekends, we just hang – wake up, get the paper,” Kidman said. “We’re very, very tight.” And it is little statements like this that remind the public that celebrity couples are just like any other – striving to live the typical life of an everyday couple and enjoy the little things together.

Stronger Together

After overcoming all the obstacles that fame and fortune brought them over the years, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are stronger than ever. It’s a testament to their unbreakable bond that they are able to be so vocal about each other. And to share the mechanics of how their relationship works in their interviews is nothing short of commendable. It’s little tidbits like their cheeky communication quirks that make them feel just a bit more relatable to us.

It’s Not That Simple

Like all relationships, things haven’t been perfect for the star couple, and drama can constantly overshadow those glamorous walks down the red carpet. And it was only recently that Kidman revealed just how deep the problems can go.

An Instant Star

Long before she tied the knot with Kieth, Kidman had already firmly established herself as one of the biggest actresses, not only in Australia, but the entire world. Her first break came in 1989 when she starred in the horror hit movie Dead Calm. Her performance caught the attention of Hollywood’s finest and before she knew it, Kidman became an instantly recognizable name. She would go on to lead in classics such as Cold Mountain and Moulin Rouge.